Tying mechanism for bails and the like

ABSTRACT

AN AUTOMATIC COLLATING AND TYING MECHANISM ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING WIRE BAILS AND THE LIKE IS DISPOSED TO RECEIVE A DETERMINED ACCUMULATION OF BAILS AND THE LIKE AND WITH THE DELIVERY THEREOF, AN ACTUATION IS MADE OF THE TYING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM OF THIS INVENTION. THE ACCUMULATION OF THESE BAILS IS PROVIDED BY A DOWNWARDLY SLOPED GRAVITY FED CHUTE AND AFTER A DETERMINED NUMBER OF BAILS HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO THE CHUTE A GATE RELEASE IS ACTUATED TO PERMIT THIS ACCUMULATED NUMBER OF BAILS TO BE DISCHARGED TO A GROUPING MEANS PROVIDED BY THE CONVEYOR MECHANISM. THESE BAILS ARE CLAMPED IN A DETERMINED CIRCUMFERENTIAL CONFIGURATION AND AFTER CLAMPING ARE FED BY MEANS OF AN INTERMITTENTLY ACTUATED MECHANISM TO A LATER STATION WHEREAT A TYING APPARATUS IS ACTUATED TO CAUSE STRIPS OF ADHESIVE TAPE TO BE APPLIED FOR A PLURALITY OF TURNS AROUND THE BUNDLED GROUPING OF WIRES. AFTER THE TAPE IS APPLIED THE BUNDLES ARE INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCED TO THE END OF THE CONVEYING MECHANISM WHERE A PAIR OF CUTTERS IS ACTUATED EACH ADAPTED TO CUT A STRIP OF TAPE. AT THE DELIVERY END OF THE CONVEYING MECHANISM THE GROUPING MEANS IS CAUSED TO THE CONVEYING MECHANISM THE GROUPING CONTAINER OR THE LIKE. IN AN ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT TWISTED WIRE IS USED TO TIE THE GROUPINGS OF BAILS.

Dec. 14, 1971 HE|$LER 3,626,657

TYING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE Filed July 23. 1970 e Sheets-Sheet 1 I fl r 3* g x I a 'r :14 m INVENTOR. V RAYMOND/1. HE/SLER BY Q u; r-=:| U) f ,J M GEN r.

1971 R. A. HEISLER TYING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1970 INVENTUR.

R m M M m J H I A. m M 0 a W w? /r\ R B Dec. 14, 1971 Filed July 23, 1970 R. A. HEISLER 3,626,657

TYING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y INVIiN'IOR.

- H RAY/140M) A. HE/SLER AGE/VF Dec. 14, 1971 R. A. HEISLER TYING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVIiNTOR.

Dec. 14, 1971 R. A. HEISLER 3,626,657

TYING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet I N VliN'lOR.

RA YMO/VD A. HE/SL ER BY ,N. y

35 4 ka/ 45 A aE/vr.

1971 R. A. HEISLER T YING MECHANISM FOR BAILS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 23. 1970 INVEN'I'UR RAYMOND A. HE/SL El? United States Patent O US. Cl. 53-62 28 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic collating and tying mechanism adapted for receiving wire bails and the like is disposed to receive a determined accumulation of bails and the like and with the delivery thereof, an actuation is made of the tying and transporting mechanism of this invention. The accumulation of these bails is provided by a downwardly sloped gravity fed chute and after a determined number of bails has been delivered to the chute a gate release is actuated to permit this accumulated number of bails to be discharged to a grouping means provided by the conveyor mechanism. These bails are clamped in a determined circumferential configuration and after clamping are fed by means of an intermittently actuated mechanism to a later station whereat a tying apparatus is actuated to cause strips of adhesive tape to be applied for a plurality of turns around the bundled grouping of wires. After the tape is applied the bundles are intermittently advanced to the end of the conveying mechanism where a pair of cutters is actuated each adapted to cut a strip of tape. At the delivery end of the conveying mechanism the grouping means is caused to be opened to deliver the tied bails to a container or the like. In an alternate embodiment twisted wire is used to tie the groupings of bails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention In respect to the classification of art as established by the United States Patent Ofiice the present invention pertains to the general class of Package Making, and to the subclass therein of encircling sealing strip. Art relative to the binding of groups of articles may be found in the general class entitled Presses, and more particularly to binding and binder applying, and even more particularly by applying helically along the material, and/ or indexing material between successive placement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Wire bails which are provided with an eared container for attachment to said container at the consumer distributing point such as paint and hardware stores and the like are conventionally known. These bails are usually made on automatic equipment of conventional and known design. This automatic equipment, in addition to forming the bails, counts and delivers the bails to packaging operators who prior to this invention have caused rubber bands, metal bands and similar binding means to be applied to the grouping of bails to retain the bails in a determined counted group. This type of an arrangement has become less than satisfactory because of the substantial amount of manpower necessary to bind the bails into counted groups. In addition to labor, the cost of the tying material has been at least a modest portion of the cost of tying and packaging these bails. In many instances the tying retention has proved less than satisfactory usually where the tying is by wire or bands which have been excessively tightened resulting in the tightly bound wire bails being bent. When the tying of the bails has been by resilient means such as rubber bands, the bands providing the retaining means often do not grasp the bails tightly enough to maintain their grouping during packing and shipping.

Whereas the prior known means require mostly hand assembly, this invention provides a mechanical means whereby the bails may be tied by either strips of plastic with an adhesive coating or by twisted wire. The preferred embodiment uses plastic strips which are usually fiber reinforced to provide a binder of satisfactory strength. In an alternate embodiment it is contemplated that a pair of soft wires which is twisted to provide a determined degree of tension may also be used to provide a tying means. The accumulating and conveying apparatus of this invention is disposed to receive a machine controlled delivery of groups of bails and like products at relatively high speeds while permitting this apparatus to operate with little or no supervision and with a minimum of operator effort required to supply and maintain the tying apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION From a bail forming apparatus the completed bails are individually delivered to a delivery chute which includes a pair of downwardly inclined rails. In combination with these rails there is provided a solenoid actuated pivoted stop arm which in one condition engages a leading bail to cause this bail to be held in an aligned determined position as a selected number of bails is counted and is accumulated behind it. After the desired accumulation of bails has been accomplished this pivoted arm is actuated to permit the accumulated grouping of bails to be released from the slide while the upper end of the stop arm is brought in way of further produced bails. A time delay determines the length of time suflicient for the delivery of the grouping of bails to the conveyor. At the end of this time the pivoted stop is cycled to the receiving condition with those bails accumulated behind the upper end being released to the delivery chute. The signal at the end of the time delay for actuating the stop arm is also used to actuate the conveyor movement for one cycle of operation.

Within the conveying mechanism for transporting and retaining the bails the gripping members are brought in way of the bail handles to cause these handles to be grasped in a determined position and with the bails hanging by gravity. As the bails are delivered to the conveyor they are brought in way of aligning or guiding means whereby the gripped grouping is aligned in a spaced array. These groupings are then advanced intermittently until they are brought in way of a spool of adhesively coated tape carried on an end of a rotatable arm. It is contemplated that the tape will have been already wrapped around a preceding grouping of bails so that one end of the tape is retained by the grouping of bails and as they are advanced the tape is caused to be pulled from the spool. Two spindles are employed to cause two separate tapes to be applied simultaneously to the alternate sides of the wide bails and after tying at one station in the intermittent advancement of the conveyor the tape is brought in way of a cutting means whereat the tapes extending between wrapped groupings are cut. At the end of the horizontal run of the conveyor the gripping fingers are caused to be opened to permit the now tied or wrapped bails to be dropped into a delivery chute or into boxes or the like.

In an alternate embodiment the bails and conveyor operate as with the tape tying but instead of tape a pair of soft metal wires is used to tie the grouping of bails together. Between groupings the wires are twisted a determined amount.

INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention, this is not intended to 3 prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of the tying mechanism for grouping, tying and delivering tied bails to a box as adopted for use with automatic bail forming apparatus and the like. This specific embodiment and an alternate embodiment thereof, in which wire is used for tying the bails, have been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a side view of the apparatus of this invention and showing in particular the relationship of the several conveying and tying mechanisms as they are placed for downstream tying operation of bails delivered from a bail forming mechanism;

FIG. 2 represents an enlarged side view taken of the opposite side of the head end of the tying mechanism and showing partially in section the arrangement of the delivery chute as it receives and accumulates the bails from the bail forming mechanism, the accumulation being shown as in the course of delivery to the conveyor;

FIG. 3 represents a transverse sectional view of the transporting apparatus and looking upstream and showing in particular one of the mechanisms for tying the bails, the view being taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 represents an end view of the apparatus looking upstream from the downstream end and toward the transporting apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 5 represents a side view looking at the upstream end of the delivery chute extending from the bail forming mechanism to the conveying and tying apparatus and with the bails being grouped in the chute;

FIG. 6 represents an enlarged fragmentary side view of the delivery chute and showing in section a portion of the air blast system used to urge the bails smoothly down the chute;

FIG. 7 represents a side view of the downstream end of the conveying apparatus with the tied bails after they are cut apart being delivered to a box or the like;

FIG. 8 represents in an enlarged detail an end view partly in section and showing the preferred arrangement of a tape tying apparatus in one condition of operation;

FIG. 9 represents in an enlarged sectional view a portion of the tying apparatus of FIG. 8 and showing in particular the upper delivery arrangement and construction of the tape winding or applying apparatus;

FIG. 10 represents a fragmentary somewhat schematic plan view showing the preferred drive arrangement for the tape tying mechanism;

FIG. 11 represents a side view of the front end of the delivery and conveying apparatus of FIG. 1 but with a tying mechanism which utilizes a pair of wires which is twisted to provide the tying operation, and

FIG. 12 represents a fragmentary plan view of the wire twisting mechanism, the view being taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 11.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanation of the broader aspect of the invention, but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept and principles of the invention. In particular although shown for wire bails, the conveying and tying mechanism could as easily and effectively be used to group and tie rod-like members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in particular to FIG. 1 there is shown in phantom outline at the right of the side view an automatic bail forming machine 20. Attached to this forming machine is a delivery guideway or chute which includes a pair of upper guide members 22 and a pair of lower guide rails 24. These guide rails are preferably disposed at an angle at about thirty to forty-five degrees to the horizontal and may be supported by means of a brace or bracket 26 which preferably is attached to the bail forming machine 20 so that any vibrations of the forming machine are transmitted to the accumulated bails in the chute instead of to the conveying and tying apparatus of this invention. The conveying and tying apparatus of this invention contemplates the use of a frame 30 which may include adjusting pads 32 disposed to rest upon and adjust to any unevenness of the floor. An upper horizontal frame 34 is carried by the base frame 30 so as to be disposed at a determined height from the floor and preferably in a generally parallel condition to the top of the floor. Upon and Within this horizontal frame a bail transporting or conveying apparatus 36 or assembly is disposed.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 and particular details pertaining to the conveyor 36 there is shown a pair of roller chains 38 and 39 which is carried on sprockets 40 and 41 mounted on a front shaft 42 rotatably carried in flange bearings 44 and 45. These bearings are disposed between and are attached to the inside of channels 47 and 48 forming a portion of the upper frame 34. Alternate links of the roller chains 38 and 39 are disposed to carry rear and forward clamping members 50 and 51 arranged in rightand left-hand array on said roller chains. A detailed description of these clamping members will be made hereinafter. The links of the roller chains are disposed to enter and be retained in a guideway provided by slide guides 52 and 53 mounted so as to provide a lower run for the roller chain as it acts as a conveying means. These same links rest on support guide rails 54 disposed on and carried by a support bracket 55 extend ing between the channels 47 and 48. As seen particularly in FIG. 3 slide guide rails 54 are carried by and are attached to a longitudinal member 56. Slide guides 52 are carried by and are attached to a longitudinal member 57 while lower slide guides 53 are attached to and are carried by a longitudinal member 58.

Referring again to FIG. 1 it is to be noted that the other end or tail end of the conveyor provides for the roller chains to be carried by a tail shaft 60 carried in bearings, not shown, but in a manner similar to, if not identical to, the arrangement provided for the head or front shaft 42. The tail shaft 60 also carries a pair of sprockets, not shown, in the same manner as are the sprockets 40 and 41 which are mounted on the head or front shaft.

DELIVERY SYSTEM OF THE BAlLS FROM THE BAIL FORMING APPARATUS As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6 the upper support or guide members 22 are preferably a pair of tubes which is carried by a bracket 64. The upper end of each tube is connected to an air conduit which is supplied by pressurized air from a source of air, not shown. The lower end of each tube is plugged so as to provide a chamber of pressurized air. The underside of each tube has a series of air blast jets or holes 66 formed therein and disposed to direct a blast of air as indicated by the arrows against the handle portion 67 of a wire bail 68. A pivoted gate member 70 is carried by and between the lower guide rails 24 and is actuated by means of a solenoid 72 carried by the support member 73 as seen in FIG. 5. The forward end of the pivoted member 70 is provided with a lower protruding stop portion 74, which is disposed in its engaging condition to receive and stop the bails as seen in FIG. 5. When a grouping of, as for example, twenty-five bails has been accumulated behind the stop 74, and has been counted by means, not shown, the completion of the counting of the desired number causes an actuation of the solenoid 72 which causes the pivoted member 70 to be moved to the position of FIG. 2. In this condition a rear protruding face or end 75 is brought in way of subsequently formed bails while the grouping of bails released by the lowering of the stop 74 is discharged and carried downwardly by means of a deflecting guide or transfer guide 76 as shown in FIG. 2.

The conveyor 36 is preferably advanced in an intermittent manner so that such operations as receiving and tying may be performed with the conveyor at rest. In the present embodiment the advancement of the conveyor is by means of a pneumatic cylinder 80 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 7. This cylinder has one end carried by means of a bracket 82 attached to the channel member 47 while the rod end of the cylinder has a clevis 83 which is attached to a pivoted arm 84 by a pin 85. Arm 84 is carried on and is freely rotatable on the outboard end of the tail shaft 60. The cylinder 80 provides an actuation of a ratchet wheel 86 carried by and attached to shaft 60. As shaft 60 is rotated it causes the two roller chains to be moved a determined step forward. Arm 84 is freely rotatable on the shaft 60 so that it may be swung by the stroke of the cylinder 80. A pawl 88 is pivotally carried on arm 84 and as arm 84 is moved clockwise the outer end of the pawl is disposed to engage the teeth of ratchet wheel 86. As the clevis end 83 of piston rod 90 of the cylinder 80 is moved outwardly the pawl 88 engages and rotates ratchet wheel 86 and shaft 60 and at its outer extent an adjustable stop 92 is carried on the end of the arm 84 and is caused to engage a switch 94. This switch causes a winding action to be performed upon the suspended bails in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. The actuation of the switch 94 may also be used to cause the cylinder 80 to be actuated to make a return stroke to cause the arm 84 to be brought to the position as seen in FIG. 1. A pneumatic timing means may, if desired, be used to actuate the return stroke of cylinder 80.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 it is to be noted that the front slides 76 are curved and contoured to provide a guide means for the discharged bails asthe forward stop 74 is dropped from in Way of the bails whereupon as the bails move down slides 76 they come to rest in curved recess 95 of rear member 51 of the conveyor as seen in FIG. 2. The slides 76 are also spaced so as to insure that the bails are received in an aligned manner into this curved recess 95. Cylinder 80 is actuated either by a time delay signal used to actuate solenoid 72 or may be actuated by an electric eye providing a signal signifying that the delivery of the hails from the chute has been completed. The outward movement of piston rod 90 results in pawl 88 moving ratchet wheel 86 a determined degree of rotation. As seen in FIG. 2 the movement of the conveyor chains is counterclockwise around shaft 42. With this rotation the forwardly moving forward clamp member 50 moves toward and past the finger ends of rear clamp 51 to grip the grouping of bails in recess 95 as seen in the lower run or extent of conveyor 36.

TYING OF THE BAILS AS SEEN IN FIGS Z, 3, 8, 9 AND Referring now in particular to FIGS. 2, 3 and 9 it is to be noted that carried on a transverse portion of the frame 30 is a pair of suport members 96. Carried on these members and as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 is a pair of tape applying mechanisms. Rotatably carried in member 96 is a hollow shaft 97 which on its lower portion has attached and mounted thereto a support bracket 98. This bracket supports a roll of adhesive coated tape 99 to be hereinafter more fully described. This roll of tape is supported on one end by a rotatable flanged end 100 which is rotatably carried by a spindle 101. The other end of the roll of tape 99 is rotatably carried on an inner rotatable flange member 102 which has its rightward face adapted to engage a friction member 103 which may be a thrust washer. The bearing member portions of flange members 100 and 102 are slidable on spindle 101 and may be plastic or impregnated porous bronze. The outer flange end 100 is urged into a tight retaining position by means of a spring 104 and a wing nut 105 which not only provides a determined frictional engagement against the thrust washer 103 but also permits ready replacement of the roll of tape 99 by removal of the flange member 100. A tubular core 106 of cardboard, plastic or the like is contemplated to be the support member upon which the tape 99 is wound and may be a disposable item or a reuseable member as desired.

A strand of tape 110 is unwound from the roll 99 and is led up the inner passageway provided by tubular member 92 and to a roller guide 112 carried in an offset upper tubular guide 114 as seen particularly in FIG. 9. The offset of tubular guide 114 from the axis of hollow shaft 97 determines the circular path of the lay of tape 1110 around the bail ends. The hollow shaft 97 is freely rotatable in sleeve bearings 115 and 116 in support member 96 and also is axially movable up and down in these bearings. The vertical disposition of hollow shaft 97 in these hearings is determined by means of a cylindrical cam 120 which is fixedly mounted on shaft 97. The undersurface 121 of this cam is contoured to provide a determined up-and-down relationship of the shaft 97 in response to the engagement of the contoured surface 121 on a roller 122. The cam 120 rests upon roller 122 which is carried in a suport block 123 which is attached to member 96 by means of cap screws 124 extending through support block 123 into threaded holes formed in the support member 96. The tape 110 is contemplated to be wound twice around each grouping of bails 68 as it is advanced in an intermittent manner. Rotation of the shaft 97 is provided by the advancement of a roller chain 126 which engages the teeth of sprocket 128 as particularly seen in FIGS. 8 and 9.

CUTTING OF THE TAPES Referring again in particular to FIGS. 1 and 4 it is to be noted that on the downstream or tail end of the frame 30 there is disposed a bracket or support plate 130 upon which is mounted a pneumatic cylinder 132. The rod of this cylinder has its upper end provided with a clevis 133 carrying one end of the arms 134 and 135 as particularly seen in FIG. 4. These arms have their other ends pivotally carried by means of bolts 137 and 138 and on their upper ends carry knives 140 and 141. These knives are disposed to pass between groups of bails to each cut a tape 110 as the lower extent of conveyor passes by the rear portion of frame 30 and at about the rear support of cylinder 80 as seen in FIG. 1.

DRIVE APPARATUS FOR TYING MECHANISM OF FIGS. 8 AND 9 Referring now in particular to FIG. 10 it is to be noted that a pair of sprockets 128 is disposed to drive each of the hollow shafts 97 as it is mounted in the transverse support member 96. The roller chain 126 is disposed to extend to and around both of the sprockets 128 and then is led to and around drive sprocket carried on a shaft 146 driven by, or which is the shaft of, a gear motor, not shown The hub of the sprocket 145 is formed with, or there is provided, a cam lobe 150 which is disposed to engage a roller 151 carried on the end of an actuating arm 152 to actuate a switch 153. An idler sprocket 155 is carried on a shaft 156 which is urged toward sprocket 145 so as to maintain a determined amount of tension on the chain driving sprocket 128 as the chain is wound around sprockets 128. The idler as well as maintaining tension also provides a more complete wrap of the roller chain 126 around the sprockets 128. The motor drive of the roller chain 126 is actuated in an intermittent manner with the actuation of the motor being during the period of time when the conveyor carrying the bails has been brought to or is in a stop condition. With the movement of the cylinder 80 to its outer limit, which is opposite the condition of FIG. 1, a timing means causes a switch to start the motor or rotate drive shaft 146 one complete revolution. When the roller 151 is engaged by the lobe 150 on the hub of sprocket 145 a signal from switch 153 causes the motor rotating shaft 146 to be shut off. As reduced to practice, the sprocket 145 has twice as many teeth as does each of the sprockets 128 so that one full revolution of sprocket 145 results in two full revolutions of each of the sprockets 128 carried on the hollow shafts 97 which carry the tape applying mechanism.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE BAIL TYING APPARATUS OF FIGS. 1 THROUGH 10 In the production of wire bails and the like such as by the bail forming machine 20 it is contemplated that a plastic handle or grip portion may be disposed on the middle portion of the bail or the bail may be a plain bail wire. However the bail is made, it is delivered from the machine 20 to and between the pair of upper guide members 22 and the lower guide rails 24 and by conventional means a determined count of bails is made. These bails are accumulated in an aligned condition as seen in FIGS. and 6. The front or lower stop 74 provides a retaining means or stop for the determined number of bails counted by the conventional mechanism. When the desired accumulation of bails, as for example, a group of twentyfive bails is disposed in an aligned sequence on the delivery chute then the solenoid 72 is actuated to cause the stop arm or pivoted gate 70 to be actuated to the condition of FIG. 2. The actuated rotation of arm 70 on pin 71 causes the rear face 75 or end of the arm to come in way of the further produced bails. The lowering of the front stop 74 permits the released grouping of bails 68 to slide by its handle portions 67 down the transfer guides 76 into the curved recess 95 provided in the rear clamp member 51. During the lowering of the front stop, air is fed through conduit 65 to tubes 22 so as to be expelled through the several jet holes 66. The resulting jet blast from each tube assists the downward movement of the handle portion 67 along the lower sliding surfaces 24. The transfer guides 76 are spaced to cause the lower ends of the bails 68 to be aligned into substantially parallel planes. At a determined interval of time after release of the bails it is assumed they have all slid into the recess 95 whereupon this determined interval of time is terminated by the resetting of a time delay and the solenoid 72 thrust on arm 70 is relaxed to permit arm 70 to again move into the bail engaging and retaining condition of FIG. 5.

With this actuation and movement of arm 70 into its bail engaging condition, a signal is sent to the pneumatic valve controlling the flow of air to the cylinder 80. Rod 90 is pushed outwardly to cause arm 84 to be moved in a clockwise direction around shaft 60 as seen in FIG. 7. The pawl 88 engages ratchet wheel 86 and causes a determined rotation of shaft 60 causing the chains 38 and 39 of conveyor 36 to be moved forwardly. With the forward movement of the conveyor the forward clamp member 50 moves into a closed condition to trap and maintain the determined grouping of bail handles between the forward and rear clamp members 50 and 51. As thus gripped the bails appear in a grouped condition as seen in the first station and subsequent stations to the right of the delivery chute as seen in FIG. 2.

At the completion of the forward or outward piston rod 90 stroke and as seen particularly in FIG. 7 the adjustable stop screw 92 carried on the end of arm 84 is caused to be brought into engagement with and to actuate switch 94 which causes the motor carrying sprocket 145 (FIG. 10) to be actuated and with it the tying mechanism. One revolution of sprocket 145 causes two winds of the tape to be made around the bails 68. During the initial setup of the machine the bails in the conveyor 36 are brought in way of the tape tying mechanism wherein at the second station on the near side, and at a later station on the far side, the tape is caused to be attached to and wound around the downward extending wire portions 68 of the bails. The tape 110 in the preferred embodiment is caused to make a spiral wrap by means of the contoured cam 121 as it rides over roller 122 so that most of the two laps of the tape is at a higher level than is the tape where it leads from one grouping of bails to the next grouping of bails. As the conveyor is actuated to move one station forwardly to accept the next grouping of bails the tape 110 leading from the tubing guide 114 is caused to be dragged forwardly the length between adjacent stations. The extent of tape between the two groupings of bails is equal to the pitch of front and rear clamping members on the conveyor chain. Each intermittent forward step of the conveyor results in two wraps of tape 110 around each grouping of bails. This intermittent progression continues until the tied grouping of bails is brought in way of the knives 140 and 141. These knives may be actuated with air being applied to cylinder 132 at the same time that air is applied to the cylinder to cause the return action of the cylinder rod to the condition of FIG. 1. The signal can also be derived from the engagement of arm 84 with switch 158 carried on the tail end of channel 47. Other signal actions may be used but whatever the signal it results in the knives passing in way of the tape to cut the tape and to cause the grouping of bails and the tape 110 between groupings to be severed.

It is contemplated that the tape for wrapping the wire portions of the bails may be a plastic strip having reinforcing fibers such as nylon. One of the surfaces of the tape has an adhesive coating and the tape itself is preferably made as a very narrow member of strip such as oneeighth of an inch in width. Such a tape brings the cost of wrapping the bails to a near minimum expense. The intermittent progression of the conveyor carries the bails to first a tying or wrapping operation then to a cutting operation initiated by the switch 158 as it is actuated by the return stroke of arm 84. After the cut and wrapped grouping of bails has reached the left or final lower extent of the roller chain, the chains pass over the tail end sprockets. This curving path of the chain around the tail end sprockets causes the forward and rear clamping members to open up whereupon the cut and tied group of bails is brought in way of a deflection member 171 which engages the grouping of bails 170 to insure that they are discharged from the receiving recess 95 of the rear clamp 51 and after which they are dropped from the conveyor into a box or a chute or other accumulating apparatus.

WIRE TYING MEANS AS SHOWN IN THE ALTER- NATE EMBODIMENTS OF FIGS. 11 AND 12 Referring now finally to FIGS. 11 and 12 it is contemplated that the bails automatically produced by the apparatus 20 instead of being tied by an adhesive tape may be tied by means of a pair of twisted wires. In FIGS. 11 and 12 a pair of wires and 191 is shown as being fed to and through a block 193 rotatably carried by a hollow shaft 194 which is rotated by means, not shown. The wires 190 and 191 are carried through extending guide tubes 195 and 196 so as to be brought in way of the downwardly discharged bails 68. The downwardly extending end of the bails 68 as it slides down transfer guide 76 is caused to pass between the two extending guide tubes 195 and 196 and after the conveyor 36 has been advanced one station as above-described, the bails are brought into gripped condition as seen in FIG. 11. After the advancement of the conveyor the bails are free of the ends of the tubes 195 and 196 whereupon shaft 194 is caused to be rotated a determined number of revolutions causing wires 190 and 191 to be twisted. As the grouping of bails is advanced by the conveyor the twisted wires extending between groupings of bails are caused to be cut by wire cutting means which may be actuated in the manner of the tape cutting knives above-described. However, instead of a knife blade provided as for the tape, a pair of wirecutters is provided and actuated. In all other respects the operation of the wire cutting would be similar to that provided in the tape applying mechanism above-described. It is of course recognized that the twisting of the wires between each grouping of bails may be in the same direction or may be in' the alternate directions. This is merely a matter of selection since only a determined number of revolutions is to be made to provide the twist to the wires extending between the groupings of bails and this number of twists may be only a very few. Each grouping of bails provides a stop for the subsequent twisting of the wires whether the wires are twisted in a rightor left-hand manner.

It is also to be recognized that whether a tape of plastic, reinforced plastic or a pair of wires is used to tie the groupings of bails, the cutting of the tape or wire need not be made for each grouping. For example, if each grouping consists of twenty-five bails certain customers may desire their bails to be delivered as unsevered or cut multiples of four providing one hundred bails in each multiple grouping. Other multiples may be provided as desired with a defeat timer being programmed to provide the desired sequence of cutting of the extents between groupings of bails. Although embodiments have been presented illustrating bails tied by tape which preferably has one side coated with pressure sensitive adhesive or by metal wire which may be readily twisted together, it is also contemplated that plastic strips may be used with the strip heat sealed to itself by conventional heat sealing equipment. It is also contemplated that the feeding and conveying system above-described may be used with wire staple mechanism which would cause a wire or metal band of determined length to be bent into a retaining circle or loop. Whatever tying method and apparatus is provided the intermittently advanced conveyor, operating in combination with feeding and accumulating means, provides grouping and transporting means permitting many selected operations to be performed.

It is also to be recognized that items other than bails may be fed, grouped, tied and delivered by the system and apparatus above-described. Many rod-like or wire articles or groups of wires in which like tying is to be provided while the group is held may be accomplished by the above apparatus and it is contemplated that the application of the above apparatus to such problems is extended to the disclosure of the present invention. It is further recognized that the showing of a ratchet and pawl providing a one-way actuation is merely the showing of a preferred embodiment. The use of an over running clutch or other one-way clutches may well be used. The cutting of the tape or wires may be performed by many means such as power rotated saws, knives or in the case of plastic tape a hot wire. It is only necessary that the length of tying material extending between tied groupings be severed at the desired occurrence.

The terms such as left, right, up, down, bottom, top, front, back, in, out, clockwise, counterclockwise and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the bail tying apparatus may be constructed or used.

The conception of the bail tying, grasping and transporting apparatus and its many applications is not limited to the specific embodiments shown but departures therefrom may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and without sacrificing its chief advan- 10 tages and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic collating and tying apparatus for tying wire-like members such as bails and the like into determined groupings, said apparatus including: (a) means for receiving and accumulating a determined grouping of wire-like members; (b) means for releasing and delivering said accumulated grouping of members to a conveying mechanism; (c) means for preventing further produced wire-like members from delivery to said receiving means while said accumulated members are being delivered to the conveying mechanism; (d) a conveyor mechanism including at least one endless roller chain having a plurality of gripping members disposed to be moved to an open condition as the chain is engaged by and is transported around front and rear sprockets, said gripping members disposed to be moved to a closed conditions so as to grasp the grouping of members as the chain is fed in straight upper and lower guide runs; (e) means for intermittently advancing the conveyor a determined distance; (f) means for tying each gripped grouping of wire-like members with a flexible strand of material during an at rest condition in the intermittent movement of the conveyor and with the tying material caused to extend from the just tied grouping to the next forward grouping, and (g) means for cutting the tying material extending between two tied groupings, the cutting actuation occurring at a point downstream by at least one grouping from the just tied grouping.

2. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the flexible strand of tying material is a narrow strip of adhesive coated tape.

3. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 2 in which the tape is of a reinforced plastic film.

4. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the flexible strand of tying material is a pair of metal wires adapted for twisting together after which they are disposed to remain in a twisted condition.

5. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the means for receiving and accumulating the wire-like members is a gravity chute which is disposed downwardly at an angle of not less than thirty degrees to the horizontal.

6. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the means for receiving and accumulating the wire-like members is a downwardly directed gravity chute having a pair of lower guide rails and at least one upper guide member disposed at a determined distance above the lower guide members.

7. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 6 in which the means for preventing further delivery of the Wire-like members is a pivoted gate member carried between the lower guide rails, said pivoted gate member having a lower protruding stop portion movable from a wire-like member stopping position in which the protruding portion is above the support surface of the lower guide rails and with the protruding stop portion movable to a discharging and passing condition in which it is disposed below the support surface of the guide rails.

8. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 7 in which the pivoted gate also is formed with a rear protruding face disposed to be moved into a member engaging condition whereat the protruding face is above the support surface of the lower guide rails while at the same time the lower stop portion is at a position below the rails, and in which the rear protruding face when moved to a member passing condition is below the support surface of the rails while at the same time the lower stop portion is in member engaging condition.

9. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 7 in which the pivoted gate is actuated in response to a signal generated by a counting mechanism after said mechanism has counted the accumulation of a selected number of wirelike members as it is fed to the gravity chute.

10. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 7 in which the upper guide includes a pair of tubular members closed at its lower ends and at its upper ends is connected to a controlled supply of pressurized air, said tubular members each having a plurality of jet nozzles adapted to direct a blast of pressurized air against the wire-like members to urge movement of the members as they are released for sliding movement and delivery down the chute.

11. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 10 in which the controlled supply of pressurized air is through a valve means disposed to actuate and regulate the flow of pressurized air to the tubular members for timed intervals so that the air is delivered only when the wire-like members are released for delivery to the conveyor.

12. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the alternate links of the rollers chain of the conveyor are provided with outwardly extending rear and forward clamping members, each rear member having a recess formed therein, said recess adapted to receive and retain the wire-like members as they are delivered from a gravity chute.

13. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 12 in which the forward clamping member is contoured and sized so that when it is moved into clamping condition it pushes the wire-like members into the recess in the rear member to provide a snug grip on said grouping while and as the roller chain and grouping is intermittently advanced on its lower run.

14. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 13 in which the spacing between sequential adjacent like rear and front members is substantially equal with said spacing being equal to a single intermittent advance of the conveyor.

15. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 14 in which the conveyor includes two li ke roller chains arranged in a parallel manner and in which each chain has its rear and forward clamping members aligned with and arranged as mirror image of a cooperating like member mounted on the other chain.

16. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 1 in which the means for intermittently advancing the conveyor is a pneumatic cylinder pivotally connected to a lever freely rotatably mounted on a conveyor drive shaft, said cylinder disposed to be actuated in response to developed signals and as it is actuated moves said lever a determined amount to swing the lever on the conveyor drive shaft so as to actuate a one-way drive means disposed to rotate the shaft an increment of rotation equal to the swing of the lever in one direction.

17. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 16 in which the one-way drive is a ratchet wheel and pawl combination wherein the ratchet wheel is fastened to and is carried by the drive shaft and the pawl is pivotally carried on and by the lever.

.18. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 2 in which the tying mechanism includes a rotatable support member having means for removably retaining a spool of tape and includes an offset tape guide member disposed to be rotated so as to provide a dispensing circle to cause the tape to pass near the grouped wire-like members and disposed to feed the tape to and around the grouped members as the support member is rotated a determined number of turns.

19. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 18 in which the tape guide member is rotated at least two times and is vertically displaced during a portion of its 12 rotation so as to permit overlapping of the tape upon itself.

20. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 19 in which the means for vertical displacement is a cylindrical cam and a support roller which cooperate to provide an axial displacement of the tape guide member.

21. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 19 in which the spool of tape is mounted on a spindle and the pay off rotation of the spool is under the influence of a brake means providing a determined tension in the strip of tape as it is being wound around the wire-like grouped members.

22. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 19 in which there is provided two like tape dispensing mechanisms, said mechanisms being rotated by a common drive means and providing at least two timed wrapping of a tape around the grouping while the conveyor is at rest.

23. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 22 in which the common drive includes motor means for rotating a drive sprocket having twice the number of teeth as does two driven sprockets which are disposed to rotate the tape dispensing mechanisms, said sprockets being connected in a drive transmitting relationship by a roller chain, said drive sprocket having a cam means disposed to actuate a switch disposed to cause the motor means to be shut off upon the completion of only one rotation of the drive sprocket.

24. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 18 in which the cutting of the tying material extending between groupings is a knife disposed downstream of the tying mechanism, the knife moved to and past the extending tying material by power means actuated while the conveyor is at rest.

25. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 24 in which the power means is a pneumatic cylinder disposed to simultaneously actuate two knives to simultaneously out two separate tapes.

26. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 4 in which the wires are carried by a pair of guide tubes fixed in a rotatable header block, said tubes disposed to act as a guide for the wire-like members, said tubes being rotated by the header block after the wire-like members have been transported by the conveyor from between the tubes.

27. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 26 in which there are provided two wire tying mechanisms simultaneously actuated to tie two portions of said wirelike members.

28. An automatic tying apparatus as in claim 27 in which the wires are cut by wire cutters disposed downstream of a first twisted-tied grouping, said cutters being actuated while the conveyor is at rest.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,352,622 7/1944 Gaumer -27 X 3,018,596 1/1962 Dvorak et al 53-159 X 3,221,641 12/1965 Adams et al. 53-198 R 3,242,850 3/1966 Adams et al 156-522 X 3,262,246 7/1966 Olsen et al. 53-19 8 R 3,299,609 l/1967 Hill 53-198 R ROBERT L. SPRUILL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

mg I I v I UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE. CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,6 57 p December 14th, 1971 Inventor(s) e sler.

I It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

001. 1 line 42, end quotes should appear before period. .1

Col. 2, line 55, "wide" should read wire Col. 6, line 36, "suport" should read support I Col. 6, line 55, "groups" should read groupings I Col. 10, line 19, "conditions" should read condition Col. ll, line l6, "rollers" should read roller si ned and sealed this 16th day orMa 1972.

(SEAL) V Attest: v I EDWARD M.FLE'I'CHER, JR. 7 ROBERT GOTTSGHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

